In an age of genre-fluidity and artists taking influence from a dexterous array of musical backgrounds, According to Jack's minimalist approach makes for a refreshing listen.

Please list your name.

Giacomo Rampazzo.

For starters, what bands were you a part of prior to According To Jack?

My first high school punk band was called Broken Brakes, I was maybe 16 or 17. We would meet after school and play in pubs or clubs for free beer (man, good times...); after that I joined Still No One, which I'm currently playing in (guitar and vocals), and in parallel I started this acoustic project called According To Jack.

What’s the origin of that name?

I'm not gonna lie, I was struggling to find a name for my project. After much and unnecessary racking of brain I realized that it was enough to say what I do; my songs are most of the time really personal, I don't speak in general or touch political or social issues, if not from my personal perspective. So it made sense for me to call this project "According To Jack".

What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?

As I mentioned, my songs are mostly about me or my personal view on things. Acoustic music is a way for me to lay bare and be completely honest with myself, I think it's really therapeutic and fun. Certainly topics will change in the future, first because I myself will inevitably change, second because I get bored quickly, so I'm always looking for new challenges.

What artists are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?

I get inspiration from many artists and genres. My biggest influence is definitely punk rock, melodic hardcore/skatepunk to be specific. I'm talking about bands like Bad Religion, Pennywise, Lagwagon, NOFX and No Use For a Name that shaped my musical taste since I was a teenager. The fun thing for me is taking the melodies and song structures typical of that genre and deconstructing them down to the essentials to compose an acoustic song.

Other significant influences in my songwriting are Chicago blues (Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Howlin' Wolf...), rock in general (Foo Fighters, Green Day, Oasis...) and some metal (Metallica, Avenged Sevenfold, Linkin Park...).

Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to get into music?

I think Green Day is responsible for my punk rock and musical awakening. I remember seeing their videos on MTV as a teenager and being like "damn this music is so much better than the rest, this is really resonating with me, what the hell is it?" Shortly after I came across "Suffer" by Bad Religion and from there on the butterfly effect started I guess.

What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, etc …

No specific ritual, sorry. I hang out with my friends and have a couple beers or do some vocal warm-up exercises, depending on whether I decide to listen to the little devil or the little angel on my shoulder.

What has been the biggest highlight of your career so far?

Honestly, just starting this project last year and recording the first EP is a dream come true, it means so much to me. Solo acoustic music is something that has always fascinated me but finding the courage and motivation to go down this road alone was a big challenge and a leap of faith. It is not really an accomplishment but it is something I am really proud of.

If you could tour with any musical act, past or present, who would they be and why?

The question is tricky 'cause it's "tour with" and not "play with"; I'll go with Tenacious D for obvious reasons, just imagine being on the road with Jack Black for weeks, crazy! Another option would be The Faction or Urethane, because in between shows I'd have the opportunity to skate with the legend himself Steve Caballero. Cool stuff!

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thank you so much for having me, I have a new single out called "Reason To Exist", check it out if you want. Keep pushing, see you around!

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